The church on West 14th Street, the first in Manhattan created for a Spanish-speaking congregation a century ago, has been deconsecrated. Its future is uncertain.
Two fixtures, which were covered in grime, were sold along with other artifacts by a Philadelphia church’s new owner for $6,000. An auction house estimates they could bring up to $250,000 — each.
The care for Milan’s cathedral has been nonstop since 1386, but despite the constant need for refurbishment, the beloved landmark’s hold on the city is unbreakable.
Against the appalling human cost of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its cultural toll may feel insignificant. But tallying the damage shows how central it is to the conflict.